UN nuclear chief says Iran inspections will happen, Tehran says after deal

What Happened

IAEA Director General Rafael Grossi stated on Wednesday that inspections at Iran’s nuclear facilities “are going to happen”, explicitly referencing a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed with the United States that mandates IAEA supervision of nuclear material activities. He stressed that dates and locations are being discussed with Iran, and that the inspections are imminent regardless of exact timing. Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi responded on X that UN inspectors’ access to attacked nuclear sites “would solely be examined and resolved within the framework of a final agreement” with the US, contingent on “the other party’s practical action in terminating all sanctions”. He also noted no Iranian official met Grossi during the Switzerland negotiations. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei added that there was no “clear schedule” for examining facilities hit by the US and Israel, while President Masoud Pezeshkian said no talks had taken place on Tehran’s ballistic missile programme and none would. The US and Israel conducted a 12-day war on Iran last year, leading Tehran to suspend IAEA cooperation in July; a new framework in September allowed some inspections, but inspectors were denied access to bombed sites. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio indicated technical talks would resume in Switzerland on June 29 or 30.

Key Actors

Why It Matters

The dispute crystallizes the core obstacle in US-Iran nuclear negotiations: Iran’s linking of full IAEA access—especially to sites damaged by the US-Israel strikes—to sanctions relief, while the IAEA and Western powers demand unconditional verification. The standoff tests the viability of the 60-day talks launched by the MoU and could derail any progress toward reviving the nuclear deal, with implications for regional stability given Iran’s advancing enrichment and the unresolved fate of bombed facilities.

Watch For

Monitor the resumption of US-Iran technical talks in Switzerland around June 29–30 as stated by Secretary Rubio; any unilateral IAEA inspection announcement or joint statement on dates; Iran’s reaction to potential US sanctions terminations; and the next IAEA report on Iran’s nuclear programme, especially regarding the status of formerly attacked sites.